Colorado Rare Bird Alert, 5 January 2017

[Joyce Takamine]

Compiler:  Joyce Takamine

e-mail:    RBA AT cobirds.org

Date:   January 4, 2017

This is the Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, January 5, sponsored by Denver Field Ornithologists and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

  

Highlight species include: (* indicates new information on this species)

NOTE:  The RBA is using the new AOU checklist, & the order of families has changed.

BRANT (Adams)

Trumpeter Swan (Douglas, Mesa, Sedgwick)

Tundra Swan (Boulder, Chaffee, Larimer, Morgan)

Surf Scoter (Adams, Arapahoe, *Huerfano)

White-winged Scoter (Arapahoe, Pueblo)

Black Scoter (Arapahoe, Jefferson)

Long-tailed Duck (Arapahoe, Chaffee, Jefferson, Larimer)

Barrow's Goldeneye (Adams, Arapahoe, Chaffee, Garfield, Mesa, Summit)

Sharp-tailed Grouse (Weld)

White-winged Dove (Prowers)

White-throated Swift (Fremont)

Sandhill Crane (Fremont, Logan)

Spotted Sandpiper (Garfield, La Plata, Pueblo)

Greater Yellowlegs (Adams)

Mew Gull (Arapahoe, Denver)

Thayer's Gull (Arapahoe, Douglas, Larimer)

ICELAND GULL (Arapahoe, Larimer)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Adams, Arapahoe, Bent, Larimer)

Glaucous Gull (Arapahoe)

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Larimer)

Great Black-backed Gull (Arapahoe, Bent, Larimer)

Double-crested Cormorant (Adams, *Arapahoe, Bent, Douglas)

American White Pelican (Bent, Larimer)

Lewis's Woodpecker (El Paso, Pitkin)

Acorn Woodpecker (La Plata)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Bent, Sedgwick)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (El Paso, Larimer)

Red-naped Sapsucker (Boulder)

Black Phoebe (Mesa)

Winter Wren (Adams)

Bewick's Wren (Fremont)

Hermit Thrush (*La Plata, Morgan)

Varied Thrush (Logan)

Northern Mockingbird (Denver)

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Boulder,  *Pitkin, San Miguel)

Black Rosy-Finch (Boulder, *Pitkin, San Miguel)

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (Boulder, *Pitkin, San Miguel)

Common Redpoll (El Paso)

Lapland Longspur (*Kit Carson, Logan)

Chestnut-collared Longspur (*Kit Carson)

Canyon Towhee (Fremont)

Rufous-crowned Sparrow (Baca, Fremont)

Lincoln's Sparrow (Sedgwick)

Northern Cardinal (Sedgwick)

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Denver)

Rusty Blackbird (Huerfano, Jefferson, *Weld)

Great-tailed Grackles (Chaffee, La Plata)

*****For directions to unfamiliar locations (e.g. "Lower Latham"), please refer to CFO's Colorado County Birding site:  www.coloradocountybirding.org

ADAMS COUNTY:

---On December 26 on South Platte River at 88th Ave, Cyndy Johnson and Kiki Widjaja reported 3 Barrow's Goldeneyes (2m, 1f) near the green tank.  On January 1 on South Platte River at 88th Ave, Peter Gent reported m Barrow's Goldeney by green tank and Bruce Snyder reported Greater Yellowlegs.

---On December 31 at East Lake Shores Park, Kim Mauritz reported BRANT and f-type Surf Scoter.

---On December 31 at South Platte River and Sand Creek mouth, Art Hudak, Tom Behnfield, and David Starbuck reported Winter Wren.

---On January 2 at South Platte River and Sand Creek mouth, Art Hudak, Mark Chavez, and tom Behnfield reported Double-crested Cormorant.

---On January 2 on Southern St in Brighton, David Dowell and Bill Kaempfer reported Greater Yellowlegs.

---On January 2 on South Platte River around 74th Ave, Mark Minner-Lee reported Barrow's Goldeneye.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY:

---On December 22 at Aurora Reservoir, David Dowell reported 2 White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, 5 Thayer's Gulls, 2 ICELAND GULLS, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gull.  On December 28 at Aurora Reservoir, Loch Kilpatrick, Matt Hofeditz and Chris Wood reported  2 White-winged Scoters, Mew Gull Thayer's Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull.  On December 30 at Aurora Reservoir, Kyle Hawley reported 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Glaucous Gull, and Great Black-backed Gull and Tracy and Luke Pheneger reported Black Scoter.  On December 31 at Aurora Reservoir, Daniel Horton reported White-winged Scoter, f Barrow's Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.  On December 31 at Aurora Reservoir, Bill Tweit and Steve Mlodinow reported 3 White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye, 7 Thayer's Gulls (4 ad, 1 2nd-cyc, 2 juv). 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (2 ad, 2 2-3 cyc, 4 1-st cyc), 2 Glaucous Gulls, 1 ad Great Black-backed Gull.  On January 2 at Aurora Reservoir, Cheryl Teuton, Dan Brooke, Glenn Walbek, and Loch Kilpatrick reported White-winged Scoter, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and ad Great Black-backed Gull.

---On December 23, Joey Kellner and Diane Roberts reported Black Scoter and Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.  On December 26, Chris Wood and Jessie Berry reported 1 imm f Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir and C Warneke reported Black Scoter.  On December 27, Dan Belter reported 2 f-type Black Scoters at South Platte Reservoir.  On December 28, David Suddjian reported Long-tailed Duck at South Platte Reservoir.  On January 1, Steve Stachowiak reported Long-tailed Duck and Black Scoter at South Platte Reservoir.  On January 2, Joey Kellner reported 2 f-type Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte Reservoir.

---On January 4 at South Platte Park, C470 area, Robert Folzenlogen reported juv Double-crested Cormorant.

BENT COUNTY:

---On January 2 at John Martin Reservoir, Duane Nelson reported 2 America White Pelicans, 2 Double-crested Cormorants, 1 ad Great Black-backed Gull and 1 subad Lesser Black-backed Gull.

---On January 1 at Hasty Campground, Duane Nelsons reported ad m Red-bellied Woodpecker.

BOULDER COUNTY:

---On December 28 at Valmont Overlook (Legion Park), Chris Wood reported 3 Tundra Swans (2 ad, 1 juv).  On January 1 at Valmont Reservoir, Peter Gent reported 3 Tundra Swans (2 ad, 1 juv)

---On December 27 at Bohn Park in Boulder, Peter Burke reported Red-naped Sapsucker.  On January 2 at Bohn Park, Peter Burke reported Red-naped Sapsucker.

---On December 28 at Fawn Brook Inn in Allenspark, Chris Wood reported all 3 species of Rosy-Finches and 22 Bohemian Waxwings.   On December 30 at Fawn Brook Inn, Mark Amershek reported all 3 species of Rosy-Finches.

CHAFFEE COUNTY:

---On December 11 at Sands Lake SWA, Jack Harlaln reported 1 m Long-tailed Duck and Barrow's Goldeneye.  On December 12, Jeff Guy reported Long-tailed Duck and Barrow's Goldeneyes at Sands Lake SWA.  On December 17 the male Long-tailed Duck was reported by Bill Kaempfer at Sands Lake SWA where it was seen by many birders on the Salida CBC.  On December 29, Bill Tweit reported 2 Tundra Swans (1 ad, 1 imm), male Long-tailed Duck, 40 Barrow's Goldeneyes, and 6 Great-tailed Grackles at Sands Lake SWA.  On January 1 at Sands Lake SWA, Jeff Guy reported Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Barrow's Goldeneyes, and 10 Great-tailed Grackles.

---On January 1 on CR 163 pond, Jeff Guy reported 2 Tundra Swans.

DENVER COUNTY:

---On December 27 at Bible and Hutchinson Parks, Jen Ottinger reported a Northern Mockingbird.

---On December 29 at Gun Club Road, S of E 112th Ave, Matt and Gary Gray reported Yellow-headed Blackbird.

---On December 28 at Rocky Mountain Lake Park, Matt Gray reported Mew Gull.

DOUGLAS COUNTY:

---On December 27, Jeff Beavers reported a Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield SP.  On December 28, Thomas Holub, Chris Gilbert, and Dean and Carmencita Shoup reported Trumpeter Swan upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.  On December 29, Paul Hurtado, Aaron Driscoll, and Doug Kibbe reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.  On December 31, Diane Roberts, Bill Hopping, C Warneke and Ben Sampson reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.  On January 1, Tim Ryan and several other birders reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield upstream from Kingfisher Bridge. On January 2, Matt Crooks and many other birders reported Trumpeter Swan at Chatfield upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.  On January 3, Mark Minner-Lee reported Trumpeter Swan upstream from Kingfisher Bridge.

On January 3, Thomas Holub and KiKi Widjaja reported Trumpeter Swan from High Line Canal Trial -- Platte Canyon Reservoir.

---On January 3 at Parker Regional Park, Diane Roberts and Tim Ryan reported Double-crested Cormorant.

EL PASO COUNTY:

---On December 27 at Ute Valley Park, Alan Versaw reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

---On December 27 at Fort Carson in Cottonwoods S of Haymes Reservoir, Kyle Hawley reported 2 Lewis's Woodpeckers.

---On December 30 at Cheyenne Mountain SP, David and Cheryl Hubbard reported Lewis's Woodpecker.

---On January 1 on CO 115, Kara Carragher and David Tonnessen reported Lewis's Woodpecker.

---On January 3 at Fountain Creek Regional Park, David and Cheryl Hubbard reported Common Redpoll.

FREMONT COUNTY:

---On December 30 at Tunnel Drive in Canon City, Dan Belter reported Bewick's Wren, 25 Canyon Towhee, and 2 Rufous-crowned Sparrows and White-throated Swifts.  On January 1, Kara Carragher, David Tonnessen and Rick Bostrom reported White-throated Swifts at Tunnel Driver.

GARFIELD COUNTY:

---On December 27, Dick Filby reported 2 m Barrow's Goldeneyes on the Colorado River off Devereux Rd near Whitewater Rafting Buildings in Glenwood Springs.

---On December 30, Dick Filby reported 15 Barrow's Goldeneyes at Coryell Ranch in Carbondale.

---On January 2 at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Glenwood, JoAnn Riggle reported Spotted Sandpiper.

HUERFANO COUNTY:

---On December 31 on the Spanish Peaks CBC, Polly Neldner found a Surf Scoter on Daigre Lake and Dave Silverman found 2 Rusty Blackbirds.  On January 4, Polly Neldner reported that the Surf Scoter continues on Daigre Lake.

JEFFERSON COUNTY:

---On January 1, Steve Stachowiak reported Long-tailed Duck and Black Scoter at South Platte Reservoir.  On January 2, Joey Kellner reported 2 f-type Long-tailed Ducks at South Platte reservoir.

---On January 2 at Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, Prospect Park and Lake, Aaron Shipe reported 3 Rusty Blackbirds.

KIT CARSON COUNTY:

---On January 4 on Flager CBC, Doug Kibbe and Jeff Dawson reported 350 Lapland Longspurs and 1 Chestnut-collared Longspur.

LA PLATA COUNTY:

---On January 1 at Zink's Pond, Aaron Keller reported Great-tailed Grackle.

---On January 1 on Meadow Road in Rafter J subdivision, Aaron Keller reported 2 Acorn Woodpeckers.

---On January 2 at Weaselskin Bridge, Ryan Votta reported Spotted Sandpiper.

---On January 3 on Animas RIver Trail/Huck Finn Pond & Hatchery, Ryan Votta reported Hermit Thrush.

LARIMER COUNTY:

---On December 8, David Wade reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland on Hilltop Dr by N Tyler Ave.  On December 10, Gwen Moore and Irene Fortune reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland on Hilltop Dr.  On December 18, Nick Komar reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland on Hilltop Dr.  On December 19, Scott Somershoe reported Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Loveland on Hilltop Dr.

---On December 23 at Rawhide Engergy Station/Hamilton Reservoir 5 Tundra Swans, Long-tailed Duck, and Lincoln's Sparrow were reported by Sue Riffe, Bill Kaempfer, Austin Hess, and Nick Komar.  On December 30, Irene Fortune reported 2 Tundra Swans at Rawhide Energy Station/Hamilton Reservoir.

---On January 1 at Larimer County Landfill (restricted access), Nick Komar and David Dowell reported 3 Thayer's Gulls (1 2nd-cyc, 2 1-st cyc), ICELAND GULL, 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (3 ad, 1 3rd-cyc, 1 1-st cyc), GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL.  On January 3 at Larimer County Landfill, Steve Mlodinow reported 6 juv Thayer's Gulls, ICELAND GULL, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4 ad, 2 2-3 cyc, 2 1st cyc), 2 Herring x GLAUCOUS-WINGED Gulls.

---On January 1 at Rawhide Power Plant, April Eisele reported 3 Tundra Swans and Sean Walters reported 5 Tundra Swans and 1 American White Pelican.  On January 2 at Rawhide Power Plant, David Wade reported 3 Tundra Swans.

LOGAN COUNTY:

---On December 27 a Varied Thrush was reported by Chris Gilbert east of Sterling on RR tracks and 370.  On January 2 at CR 370 and RR Crossing, Steve Mlodinow reported Varied Thrush.

---On December 31 at Duck Creek SWA, David Dowell and Kathy Mihm Dunning reported Sandhill Crane flying with Canada Geese and 2 Lapland Longspurs.

MESA COUNTY:

---On December 31, at Highline Lake ST, Mike Henwood reported 1 juv Trumpeter Swan.  On January 2 at Highline Lake St, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported Trumpeter Swan.

---On January 2 at Whitewater Ponds, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported Trumpeter Swan.

---On January 2 at Colorado River SP Fruita Section, Denise and Mark Vollmar reported Black Phoebe.

---On January 3 at Grand Junction WA, Mike Henwood reported 6 Barrow's Goldeneyes.

MORGAN COUNTY:

---On December 31 at Joey's Slough (south of Jackson Reservoir), Bill Tweit and Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Tundra Swans.

---On December 31 at Jackson Reservoir, Bill Tweit and Steve Mlodinow reported Hermit Thrush.

PITKIN COUNTY:

---On December 31 at Snowmass Creek, Rob Norville reported 2 Lewis's Woodpeckers on the Aspen CBC.

PUEBLO COUNTY:

---On January 1 at Pueblo Reservoir, Joey Keller and many other birders reported Long-tailed Duck, ad Lesser Black-backed Gull, and ad Great Black-backed Gull.

---On January 2 at Valco Ponds upstream from parking lot, Paul Hurtado reported Spotted Sandpiper.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY:

---On December 6, Eric Hynes reported all three species of Rosy-Finches coming to his feeders in Telluride.  If you would

like to try to see them, contact Eric at erichynes28 AT gmail.com.  On December 9, Eric Hynes reported Gray-crowned and Brown-capped Rosy-Finches at his feeders in Telluride.  On December 14, Eric Hynes reported all three species of Rosy-Finches at his feeders in Telluride as well as Vic Zerbi observing.  On January 3, Eric Hynes reported all three species of Rosy-Finches at his feeders in Telluride.

SEDGWICK COUNTY:

---On January 2 at Sand Draw SWA, Steve Mlodinow reported Red-bellied Woodpecker, Lincoln's Sparrow, and 2 Northern Cardinals.

---On January 2 at Ovid access to South Platte River, Steve Mlodinow reported 2 Trumpeter Swans.

SUMMIT COUNTY:

---On December 27, Dale Pate reported 21 Barrow's Goldeneyes at Silverthorne WTP.  On January 1, Mark Chavez and Art Hudak reported 14 Barrow's Goldeneyes at Silverthorne WTP.

WELD COUNTY:

---On December 27 at Pawnee National Grasslands, Adams & Bunker Reservoir # 1, Chris Wood reported singing m Rusty Blackbird.

---On December 27 at CR 136 between CR 99 and CR 105, Chris Wood reported 12 Sharp-tailed Grouse.

---On January 2, Chip Clouse reported 4 Rusty Blackbirds by Box Elder Creek on CR 4 just east of CR 49 on Barr Lake CBC and Bill Kaempfer reported 1 Rusty Blackbird on CR 4 S of Hudson.  On January 4, Adam Vesely reported 2 Rusty Blackbirds at CR 4 and Box Elder Creek.

Denver Field Ornithologists Field Trips: 

Sign up on line for field trips at DFO’s Website. 

The DFO Field Trip for Saturday, January 7 will be Mini Birding Derbies led by Gregg Goodrich (GreggGoodrich AT gmail.com; 303-655-9135)  Meet at the parking lot at 0730 near lake at Belmar Historic Park at 800 s. Wadwsorth Blvd in Lakewood.  From Alameda and Wadsworth; go south on Wadsworth, turn west at the light on West Ohio Ave.  Drive a short 2 blocks to the parking lot.

   Join for some friendly birding competition.  At three or four SW Denver hotspots we will split inot three random teams (there will be guest leaders), set a time limit, and see who can come up with the most secies.  At the next place we'll split into new teams and go at it again.  Bring water, snacks, sunscreen.  Scopes will not be allowed.  Register online or contact leader.

The DFO Field Trip for Sunday, January 8 will be the South Platte River trail at E 88th Ave and I-76 led by Ira and Tammy Sanders (zroadrunner14 At gmail.com; 303-278-7172).  Meet at the parking area at 88th Ave and South Platte RIver Trail at 0745.  From I-76 take E 99th Ave exit, go west on 88th for 1.6 miles, the turn south at Colorado Blvd.  Turn left again into parking lot for South Platte River Greenway Trailhead.  

    Will start at 88th and Platte parking lot and drive to multiple parking areas along the river  anticipate up to three miles of walking on paved trails and adjacent areas.  Should see plenty of ducks, a few raptors, and some hardy winter residents.  bring water, hat sunscreen, snack, binoculars/scope.  Come prepared for weather.  Register on-line or contact leader.  

Help with Christmas Bird Counts.

Good birding,

Joyce Takamine

Boulder